Children's Cancer Institute

Research theme

Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics

Research group

Biography

Dr Tim Failes joined Children’s Cancer Institute in 2007 when he took up a UNSW Vice Chancellor's Fellowship within the Tumour Biology and Targeting Program, having completed his PhD in Chemistry. Three years later, he moved across to the Drug Discovery Centre, where he established the Centre’s first drug screening projects.

Since then he has successfully delivered over 50 projects, from large-scale screening campaigns to translational projects involving drug repurposing and repositioning and has contributed to several drug patents. Tim led the development of the Institute’s in vitro drug sensitivity testing platform for the Zero Childhood Cancer Program from 2014-2019.

Now Senior Drug Discovery Officer for the THINK drug discovery initiative and Manager of the High Throughput Screening Facility, Tim continues to use his expertise to make important contributions across all the activities of the Drug Discovery Centre. “I’m passionate about being able to use cutting-edge technology to make a real difference to the treatment of children with cancer,” he says.

Tim has published in the chemical and biological literature and contributed to a number of successful funding submissions. His research, in collaboration with industry, has also led to several patents. He has been an assessor and reviewer of grant applications and journal manuscripts and has supervised and been an examiner for several research students.